Machine for making link mesh



A. c. PRATT, MACHINE FOR MAKING LINK MESH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26.1921.

1,43%681. I PafiGIltfid'NOV. 28,1922

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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A. C. RRATT. MACHINE FOR MAKING LINK MESH.

'APPLICATION FlLED JAN.26,1921

Patented Nov. 28, 1922 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

, 1,36,68l PATEL? fli ht CE,

ALPHONSO ooMsTooK PRATT, or "one? RIVER, oonnnorrour, .essienoe To wnrrme & DAVIS COMPANY, i conronerion or mnssnonnsn'r'rs.

MACHINE eon MAKING LINK umen.

\ Application filed January 26, 1921. Seria1"No., 4.40,055.

To aZl'wiwm itmwyiconceam.

Be it known that I, ALrHoNso CoMs'roon PENN, a. citizen oi the .United States, residing at Deep River, in the countyot Middlese:-;,.Eiti te ol' Connecticut have invented certain new and useful improvements in Mechines for Making Link Mesh ;-snd I do hereby declarethe followingto be a hill, clear, and exact descriptionot the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which. it zip 'ierteins to make and use the same. 1

The present invention reletesto a machine iormaking link mesh and involves more especially the prov'i. en in such machine or improved means tor forming the links.

in machines of this character it has been the practice to employ tools for forming the links cons'sting; of en enter die, an anvil and an inner die. i ire is-fed tothe tools, cut to length and the outer die. is'advnncedto torn). a staple upon the anvil. The anvil'is then depressed endthe inner die advanced to en gugg e the staple and term in cooperation with the outer die, a link. Link forming mechanism of this constr ction is illustrated and described, tor'eizinnple, in Letters Petent No. 948,615 granted to me on Feb. 8, 1910, Letters .latent No. 1,028,904: granted to me on June ll, 1912, Letters Patent No. 1.144.724 granted to me on rlune 29, 1915, Letters Patent No. 1.317,?26 {Zj'iftllliGiliO me on (lot. 7, 1919. i

in the machine constitutinp the present invention separate means er provided for e forming and carrying staples from which links are subsequently formed, thereby eliminating some of the parts required in the prior machines, and simplifying and facilitating the process of forming links. The machine includes a support for a piece of link mesh fabric and a carrier for staples. Mezins are provided toreiecting the staples from the carrier to term links and the in vention also comprehends the inclusion in the machine of means acting to shift the tabric and the carrier relatively or inter-meshing with the links oi'- the fabric the links as they are formed from the staples.

Separate means may be employed for forming staples end'feedingthem to the carrier, and the machine may have a, link forming tool which cooperates with the ejecting means to :torm links, preferably acting simultaneously to form a staple and a link in one operation. Furthermore, there may be provided means adapted .to shift the iehrie, and also devices for actuating the shifting niezinsiandthe carrier step by step to present different portions oithe fabric for the addition of intermeshing links; u The invention comprehends another of its parts certain features of construction whereby, for example, the formation oi staples and links therefrom is curriedont uninterruptedly so that the machine may be kept continuously in operation until the completion of ithejlink mesh inbric. This result is produced in a innchinein which there is included a support for a piece of link mesh fabric, en annulus for carrying staples, and an ejector for discharging the staples froniithe carrier to form links intermeshing with the links of the fabric. Furthermore, a link forming tool may be in cluded in the machine and the ejector may cooperate with the linkiorining" tool to form links internieshing with the fabric. here a link tormin tool is employed there is preterzlblyelso provided devices for ectueting the nnnulns intermittently to align each staple with the link forming tool to form links, sndthe annulus may have n plurality ot circumferential receptacles for holding staples from which the ejector operates to dischargethestsples to for .ilinks.

lln the speciiic emhodiinent of the invention described .hercinnner, .the machine includes i support for piece of linkinesh "fabric, and an annulus provided with a plurality of circumferential receptacles for holding staples. The formation of one steple sndone link s. time is accomplished by providing; a shuttle operating within the annulus on which there is mounted a tool for forming staples inthe receptacles, and also an ejectormounted on the shuttle for discharging the staples from the receptacle. The machine also includes a link forming tool'in cooperation with which theejector operates to form links. intermeshing with the linksof the fabric; and ineens are provided for reciprocstingthe shutt together with devicesytor actuating th:: annulus and for shifting the fabric step by step to align each staple with the link forn'iingqtool and to present different portions of the fabric to the tool to receive links.

In the accompanying. drawings illustrating the invention in application, as an excry of a cam 14.

ample, to a link mesh machine of the type illustrated and described in Letters Patent No. 948,615 granted to me on Feb. 8, 1910,

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the machine.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine along the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a detail view of the carrier.

Figure 4 is a detail plan view of a portion of the carrier, and

Figure 5 is a plan view in section of a modified form by means for forming staples in the carrier.

The machine has a table 1 upon which is supported a hollow mandrel 2 provided at its upper end with spiral grooves 8. A ring 4 suitably supported on the table 1 serves as a bearing for the sleeve 5 which surrounds the spirally grooved portion of the mandrel 3. The interior surface of the sleeve 5 is provided with a plurality of ridges and depressions as indicated at 6 in Figure 1 extending in the direction of the of the sleeve. Between the sleeve 5 and the mandrel 8 is a space in which the mesh fabric 60 being made by the machine is adapted to lie. As the link mesh fabric is formed it is raised step by step on the mandrel 8 by the rotation of the sleeve 5, the ridges and depressions in which grip corresponding ridges and depressions formed by the links of the fabric, the links following the spiral grooves as they are made. The step by step rotation of the sleeve within the ring 4 is effected by means of a ratchet and pawl, the exterior of the sleeve having ratchet teeth '7 which are engaged by a spring pressed pawl 8. The pawl 8 is mounted in an opening 9 in shaft 10 which extends downwardly through the table 1 and supported at its lower end by a bearing 11. Secured to the lower end of the shaft 10 is a crank 12, the end of which carrise a roller 18 bearing against the periph- The crank 12 is actuated by the cam 14 to rock the shaft 10 in its bearings and thus move the pawl 8, the movement of the shaft 10 being equal to one of the ratchet teeth 7. The cam 14 is mounted on a power shaf 15 which is supported in bearings 16 carried by the table 1 and connected to a suitable source of power.

The mandrel 8 has a radial opening 17 in which a die 18 is mounted. The die 18 is provided with a notch 19 near its inner end in which is fitted the end of a spring finger 20 secured at 21 to the inner wall of the mandrel. Reciprocating within the mandrel 8 is plunger 22, one end of which is secured to a cross head 28 and the other end carrying a guide 24 fitted within the mandrel. The plunger 22 is provided with acam surface which coacts with the cam surface 26 at the inner end of the die 18 when the plunger 22 is reciprocated by the cross head 28 and the crank 27 operated by the power shaft 15. The die 18 is normally held in the position indicated in Figure 1 by the spring finger 20 and is advanced to form a link through the coaction of the cam surfaces and 26 when the plunger 22 is raised. 5

The parts of the machine thus far indicated are the same as the corresponding parts in Letters Patent No. 948,615 granted to me on February 8, 1910, and reference is to be had to this patent for the complete details of these parts.

Supported on the table 1 is a bearing ring 28 upon which is mounted an annulus 29. The annulus 29 is locked in position on the bearing ring 28 by means of a locking ring 80 threaded on the end thereof. Aflixed to the upper surfaceof the annulus 29 is a plurality of radially disposed abutments 81 having grooves 82 cut in their side walls which provide receptacles for the reception of the staples having grooves 82 cut in their side walls for the reception of the staples. Mounted to reciprocate in a guide way 83 in the bearing ring 28 is a slide 34 which supports at one end the staple forming tool and at its upper side a tool for ejecting the staples from the receptacles and which co operates with the die 18 to form links. The die rod 85 is carried in one end of an upright member 86, the other end of which is adjustably fastened as at 87 to the outer extremity of the arm 88 extending from the end of the slide 34. The arm 88 projects through an opening 89 in a block supported on the table 1. Mounted in the upper end of the block 40 is a slide 41 through an opening in which the die rod 85 moves. The slide 41 is provided with a cutting edge 42 for severing a length of wire from which a staple is formed. The ejector 48 consists of an upwardly extending inwardly bent rod having a die 44 at its inner extremity. and which is secured to the upper surface of the slide The under side of the slide 84 carries a pair of brackets 45 which are secured to one end of a crank 46 by means of a pin 47 passing through a slot 48 in the crank arm. The opposite end of the crank 46 is connected to a lever 49 which is pivoted at 50 to the cross head 28 by which a reciprocatory motion is imparted through the lever 49 and the crank'46 to the slide 84.

' Cut in the outer periphery of the annulus 29 are ratchet teeth 51, which are engaged by a spring pressed pawl 52, mounted in an opening 58 in a shaft 54, the latter-being supported in suitable bearings on the table 1. The shaft 54 is rocked simultaneously with the shaft 10 by connection with the latter, through the crank arm 55, the lever 56 and a crank arm 57, said crank arms and lOO lever being pivotally connected together as at 58 and 59.

Mounted on the table 1 is ablock 61 in an opening in which reciprocates a bentarm 62 which is pivotally connected at 63 to a link 64, the latter being in turn pivoted at 58 to the crank arm 57. The end of the arm 62 has a cam surface 63 which coacts with the cam surface 64 of a slide 65 to force the latter downwardly in Figure 2. The slide 65 reciprocates in a block 66 on the table 1 and the return movement of the slide, in an upward direction, Figure 2, is effected by a spring 67 in the block. Secured to the slide 66 is a'spring pressed pawl 68 which engages a ratchet wheel 69 arranged to actuate one of a pair of superimposed friction rollers 70 connected together by means of gear wheels 71. These friction rollers feed the wire 72 into the block 40 through a guide 73 and thus in the path of the slide 41 and the die rod 35.

Situated between the upright member 36 and the slide 41 is a spring 74 so that when the slide 3a is moved inwardly toward the mandrel, carrying with it the die rod 35, the inward motion is also imparted to the slide 41 by the spring 74:. The inward movement of the slide 40 is limited by an adjustable stop 75 which permits a sufficient movement of the slide to effect the cutting of the wire and the return movement of the slide, after the cutting operation and the formation of a staple, is effected by a key 7 6 sliding in a groove 77 cut in the slide 41.

The machine operates to form and feed a staple to the carrier and simultaneously to form a link which is added to the link mesh fabric 60 supported 011 the mandrel 3', since the staple forming die 35 and the ejector (l3 provided with the die 44L are both carried by the slide 34. WVhen the shaft 10 is rocked by the cam 14, the sleeve 5 is rotated and the ink mesh fabric 60 moved to'a position to receive a link. At the same time the annulus 30 with the staple receptacles 31, constituting the carrier, is rotated a step to bring an empty receptacle in position in front of the staple forming die and a receptacle carrying a staple 78 in the path of the ejector 43 and the link forming dies 44L and 1.8. The rocking of the shaft 10 is also comn'iunicated to the feed wire mechanism and a length of wire is fed into the block 40 in the path of the staple forming tools. The slide 3st moves inwardly through the connection with the cross head 43 and both the staple forming tools and the ejector are advanced to simultaneously form a staple, feed it to the carrier. and discharge a staple from the carrier to form, by means of the dies a4. and 18, a link intermeshing with the link mesh fabric.

The die rod 35 for forming the staples above described operates to form a staple from the severed length of Wire by projecting it through a slot 7 9 in the block a0, and thus it will be seen that the staple is already formed when fed to the staple receptacle of the carrier, the wire being bent in the form of a staple in its passage through the slot.

A modified form of staple forming die is illustrated in Figure 5. In this form the die 80 is mounted on the ends of slide 41 which carries a knife 81 projecting there-- from, the knife edge being approximately opposite the end of the die 80. In this arrangement when the slide 41 is advanced the knife severs a length of wire and continues in its forward movement through the opening 82 while the die 80 forces the severed length of. wire into the staple receptacle wherein the staple is formed.

As heretofore pointed out the present invention has reference more particularly to the carrier for staples which may, as illustrated in the drawings, be employed in conjunction with the type of machine in which the link mesh fabric is made in the form of a sleeve. Such a machine is usually provided with four sets of link forming tools, the mandrel having four radial openings within which the inner link forming dies reciprocate. the drawing but one such die, reciprocating in a single radial opening in the mandrel, is illustrated, but it will be understood that any desired number of dies may be employed in conjunction with a corresponding number of carriers to form a plurality of links in one operation.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for making link mesh, a support for a piece of link mesh fabric, a carrier, means for forming staples and placing them in the carrier, means for ejecting the staples from the carrier and forming them into links meshing with those of the fabric on said support and mechanism for effecting a relative movement between the fabric on said support and the said ejecting and forming means so as to present new points on the piece of fabric successively for the reception of the newly formed links.

2. In a machine for making link mesh, a support for a piece of link mesh fabric, a carrier for staples, means for forming staples and feeding them to the carrier, means for ejecting the staples from the carrier to form links, and means acting to shift the fabric and the carrier relatively for inter-meshing with the links of the fabric the links as they are formed from the staples.

3. In a machine for making link mesh, a support for a piece of link mesh fabric, a carrier for staples, means for forming and feeding a staple to the carrier, means for simultaneously ejecting a staple from the carrier to form a link, and means acting to shift In the machine illustrated in the fabric and the carrier relatively for intermeshing with the links of the fabric the link formed from the staple.

4. In a machine for making link mesh, a support for a piece of link mesh fabric, a carrier for staples, means for forming staples and feeding them to the carrier, means for ejecting the staples from the carrier, a link forming tool cooperating with said ejecting means to form links and means acting to shift the fabric and the carrier relatively for intermeshing with the links of the fabric the links as they are formed from the staples.

In a machine for making link mesh, a support for a piece of link mesh fabric, a carrier for staples, means for forming staples and feeding them to the carrier, means for ejecting the staples from the carrier, a link forming tool cooperating with said ejecting means to form links, means adapted to shift the fabric, and devices for actuating said shifting means and said carrier step by step to present different portions of the fabric for the addition of intermeshing links.

6. In a machine for making link mesh, a support for a piece of link mesh fabric, a circular member for supporting and carrying staples, means for forming staples and placing them upon the said member successively, means for rotating the member step by step to carry the stables thereon successively to an ejecting position, devices for ejecting the staples from said member and forming them into links meshing with those of the said piece of fabric, and means for effecting a relative step by step movement between the said support and the said ejecting and forming devices.

7. In a machine for making link mesh, a support for a piece of link mesh fabric, a carrier, means for forming staples and placing them upon the carrier, means for moving the carrier step by step, a link-forming device, a member movable to remove a. staple from the carrier, link it with links of the said fabric and carry it into cooperation with the said link-forming device to form the staple into a link, and means for effecting a relative step by step movement between the piece of fabric on the support and the said link-forming device.

8. In a machine for making link mesh, a support for a piece of link mesh fabric, an annulus for carrying links, a tool for forming and feeding staples to said annulus, a link forming tool, and an ejector for discharging the staples from the annulus and cooperating with the link forming tool to form links intermeshing with the links of the fabric.

9. In a machine for making link mesh, a support for a piece of link mesh fabric, an annulus for carrying links, a tool for forming and feeding staples to said annulus, a link forming tool, an ejector for discharging the staples from the annulus and cooperating with the link forming tool to form links intermeshing with the links of the fabric, and devices for actuating said annulus intermittently to align each staple with the link forming tool.

10. In a machine for making link mesh, a support for a piece of link mesh fabric, an annulus provided with a plurality of circumferential receptacles for holding staples, a tool for forming staples in said receptacles, a link forming tool, an ejector for discharging staples from said receptacles and coopcrating with the link forming tool to form links intermeshing with the fabric, and devices for actuating said annulus intermittently to align each staple with the link forming tool.

11. In a machine for making link mesh, a support for a. piece of link mesh fabric, an annulus provided with a plurality of circumferential receptacles for holding staples, a shuttle in said annulus, a tool mounted on said shuttle for forming staples in said receptacles, a link forming tool, an ejector mounted on said shuttle for discharging.

staples from said receptacles and cooperating with the link forming tool to form links intermeshing with the fabric, means for reciprocating said shuttle, and devices for actuating said annulus and for shifting the fabric step by step to align each staple with the link forming tool and to present different portions of the fabric to the tool to receive links.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature.

ALPHONSO COMSTOCK PRATT. 

